Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
August 17, 2012 12:03 am
...A recent New York Times article cited a projected shortage of 62,900 doctors by 2015. A shortage of more than 100,000 doctors is likely by 2025, the newspaper said, even as the federal health care reform prepares to extend coverage to 30 million more Americans starting in 2014.
Doctors retire faster than they're replaced. Baby boomers are aging. Medical advances are allowing people to live longer with high-maintenance diseases such as cancer and diabetes....
President Obama's willingness to address the nation's growing shortage of Physicians in his First Term was more than an act of bravery to his political career; it was dedication to the people of the USA.
There may have been a 2010 victory of extremists promising to undo the Affordable Care Act, but, the American people know now how vital the law is and how important President Obama has been to the future of our country.
The AAMC applauds the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling (click here) upholding virtually all of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This law is an important step toward achieving the goal of ensuring that all Americans have access to health care. However, we are closely examining the court’s ruling as it relates to the Medicaid expansion.
With 32 million newly insured Americans about to enter the health care system as a result of the ACA, addressing the nation’s physician shortage—projected to climb to more than 90,000 by 2020—is now more critical than ever.
Medical schools have increased their enrollments during the last six years in response to these shortage projections. But the fact remains: The overall supply of U.S. physicians cannot expand unless Congress increases the number of federally funded residency training positions, a number that has been frozen since 1997.
As a result of today’s ruling, we urge Congress to move quickly to provide more federal support for additional doctor training to ensure that Americans have access to care—not just an insurance card.
Upholding the law also will allow the important work of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), and the programs funded by the Prevention and Public Health Fund to continue. Medical schools and teaching hospitals will continue their work through these and other efforts to lead innovation in health care delivery through education, clinical care, and research, helping ensure better care and greater access for all patients.
Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) (click here)
